About BA (Honours) in Animation

What is Animation?

One of the youngest art/design disciplines, animation continues to grow in popularity and importance across the entertainment, advertising, education
and communication industries. Ireland has a worldwide reputation in animation.
Our degree is the first undergraduate degree accredited in this country.

On this programme you will explore the production of animation projects and appreciate the full complexity of the animation process. You will develop the creative, theoretical and technical skills appropriate to gaining an animation degree. To that end, the programme has a balance of 80% practical and 20% academic work, ensuring that you learn from real experiences, whether it’s individually or as part of a group.  

Aims and Objectives

What will I be able to do when I graduate?

By the time you graduate you will have developed a broad range of skills which will equip you for a career in the Animation Industry; typically in Animation Production Companies, Multimedia Companies, Production and Post-production houses for Animation, Film and Television, as well as freelance independent work.

What subjects will I study?

• Principles of Animation, including Hand Drawing, Model and Experimental Animation
• Computer generated imagery including Photoshop, 3D Studio Max, and Macromedia Flash
• Visual Design
• Life Drawing
• Production and post production skills
• Academic Studies, including History of Animation and Cultural Studies

What are the Entry Requirements?

• Leaving Certificate Examination (or equivalent) with a minimum of Grade C3 in two Higher or Common level papers, together with Grade D3 in four other subjects to include English. Foundation level Maths (D3) is acceptable
• A portfolio of relevant work
• You may be called for interview if further clarification on your portfolio is required
• Applicants with FETAC awards require distinctions in 3 (of 8) modules. FETAC Links for this programme are:

AACDX: Art, Craft, Design

AAXXX : Art

ACADX: Computer Aided Design

ADESX : Design

AGDXX: Graphic Design

EMMPX: Multimedia Production

EMPXX : Media Production

What should my Portfolio include?

Compile a selective portfolio, excluding early work unless there are some exceptional pieces. Avoid overloading the portfolio, go for quality rather than quantity. The portfolio should be easy to look through and well presented.

Make sure you include:

• Observational drawings: include a variety of drawings such as life drawing, drawings of friends, family, animals, landscapes, objects, etc
• The best of your original artwork showing your interest in art and animation
• A minimum of two storyboards setting out ideas for short animated films/adverts etc, any subject or style Storyboards are like comic strips without the speech and thought bubbles, they outline key moments of the sequence (usually actions, events, and emotions)
• 3D work (photographs or prints only)
• Sketchbooks or visual diaries.

Please do not copy from photographs, do not include any artwork which is a copy of anyone else’s work.

Are there any costs for materials and/or field trips?

Approx. €1000 per year.

Recent Success stories

“Thanks a million for sending some extremely talented students (graduates) to us, the standards of the work shown are remarkable…” - Robert Cullen, Director of Boulder Animation Company

“Two of your ex students are the animators of our next series…I think they are amongst the finest stop motion animators on the island” - Joel Simon, Director of Flickerpix

“I am delighted to have the students on site, learning industry skills and bringing an extraordinary breadth of talent to this project. I certainly hope to hire a number of them when they graduate over the next few years!”- Andrew Kavanagh, Director of Kavaleer